Eggplant

A classic Italian dish popularised in New York by Italian immigrants.

A classic Italian dish popularised in New York by Italian immigrants.

Light, healthy and fragrant, this Thai lamb, eggplant and coriander curry is succulent and spicy. Eggplant is brilliant in curry, its tender flesh absorbs all the flavours of the sauce.

This Thai dish with succulent baby eggplants, tender snake beans and plenty of spiced pork mince is great as part of a banquet-style spread, or served with noodles as a light dinner.

One of the most popular Italian antipasti - perfect for platters and sharing plates.

This savoury and delicately spiced Moroccan-style vegetables with couscous makes a hearty, healthy and delicious vegetarian meal.

Rich eggplant and tender veal make this parmigiana recipe an enduring classic, fresh sage and bocconcini finish the dish beautifully. This is one of those dishes that quickly become a firm family favourite.

Smooth and smoky roasted eggplant dip, also known as melitzanosalata, is delicious served as part of a Greek platter.

A simple pasta salad with bright Mediterranean flavours; a great light lunch or dinner option.

Big pasta shells are perfect for soaking up the delicious, mustardy balsamic vinaigrette on this Greek lamb, feta and eggplant pasta.

This lamb, eggplant and prune tagine is rich, unctuous and utterly delicious. Best served on a pile of fluffy couscous with preserved lemon.

The eggplant can be brushed with 1 tablespoon olive oil and cooked under the grill, if you prefer. Beef mince can be used in place of the lamb mince. Note

Labne is a soft cheese originating from the Middle-East. It’s made from strained yogurt, and is available from major supermarkets and Middle-Eastern food shops. Note

Slowcooked Moroccan-style vegetables that will melt in your mouth.

Turn the traditional vegetable stew into a tasty soup and elevate it with a fresh basil pistou.

These char-grilled vegetables are healthy, delicious and pack a real spicy punch.

Roasted zucchini, eggplant and capsicum can be bought loose from delis, making the job even easier. Slice the stick as close to serving time as possible. Note

Cook ½ cup (100g) white short-grain rice for this recipe. Note

A delicious stir-fried salad with spicy Sichuan chilli for some heat.

Soba noodles are a popular buckwheat staple in Japan, though can refer to any thin noodle.

Crispy golden Moroccan pastry filled with spiced eggplant and ricotta and served with a colourful tomato salad.

Substitute any of your favourite vegetables if you prefer them to the ones suggested in this recipe. A hot curry paste will boost the flavour, however, you can use any curry paste you like. Note

If you can’t buy char-grilled zucchini, you can make your own; use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to thinly slice one large zucchini lengthways, then cook the slices on a heated oiled grill plate until browned lightly and tender. Pizza bases can be bought at any regular supermarkets. Note

Smoked eggplant and capsicum jam can be tossed through pasta, spread on pizza bases, or served as side dish to chicken, lamb or fish. Note

A quick and easy potato smash with beef and eggplant that is great for the kids.

Derived from an Italian word meaning `garden’, giardiniera is an Italian dish of pickled vegetables. Note

For an earthier flavour, barbecue the whole eggplant. First prick the skin all over with a fork, then cook the eggplant for about 30 minutes – depending on its size and the heat of the barbecue – or until the eggplant collapses. Cool the eggplant, peel away the skin, then proceed with the recipe. Mini […]

Rigatoni, a ridged, tube-shaped pasta, is ideal for baked dishes because it is wide and the hearty fillings cling to the indentations around the edges. Note

Sumac is a spice that adds a tart, lemony flavour and can be found in Middle Eastern food stores. Note

A flavour-packed Provençal salad with eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, haloumi, olives and garlic croutons.

A deep purple-red spice ground from berries grown on a Mediterranean coastal shrub, sumac adds an astringent flavour to both raw and cooked food. It suits poultry, meat and fish as well as it does a salad. Its piquancy was long only associated with Middle Eastern foods, but these days it is used in many […]

This Asian-style sesame noodle salad is sticky, sweet and utterly delicious.

A rich, fragrant and warming slow-cooked lamb and eggplant curry that will melt in your mouth.

Ratatouille can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. It is great on its own, or served with pasta. In a Provencale dialect, touiller means to stir and crush, thus the name ratatouille perfectly describes this rich vegetable stew. Note

A colourful salad of crispy roasted vegetables and grill haloumi salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Some butchers sell a pork and veal mixture, this is fine to use here,­ buy 625g. Note